Sam Hartman, Notre Dame Football News: Draft Scout Player News

02/22/23 - QB Sam Hartman, rSr/2024, Notre Dame

One of Gerad Parker's first orders of business as Notre Dame's newly promoted offensive coordinator has been to communicate his vision for Wake Forest transfer quarterback Sam Hartman and Gator Bowl MVP Tyler Buchner. "Sam and all of them, they're all critical because now you're not building relationships with eight guys in the tight end room," Parker said Monday after his promotion was formally announced at Notre Dame Stadium. "You're building relationships with the entire offensive unit." While Hartman enters as the FBS level's active leader in career passing yards and touchdown passes, Buchner offers dual-threat skills that helped him beat out Drew Pyne for the starting job last offseason.

With Pyne having transferred to Arizona State and four-star freshman Kenny Minchey on site as a midyear enrollee, Parker was asked how he could maximize the skills of Hartman and Buchner. "I think it's our job to know what their skills are and make them better, but not get away from something that maybe is not what fits them," Parker said. "It's going to be our job to tailor this thing around in a pro-style form, as coach Freeman said, but we're going to do what our players can do best and then find ways to enhance it." Hartman ran the Slow Mesh RPO at Wake Forest, so there will be some adjustment for him beyond just getting to know a roomful of new faces. Buchner, who missed 10 games last season after surgery on his left (non-throwing) shoulder, accounted for five touchdowns in the 45-38 Gator Bowl win over South Carolina. "There's certain differences in the two," Parker said. "It's our job to play off those differences of who it may be with Sam, and the same thing of Tyler just as we did in the bowl game. We want to do what our guys are good at and then get better at doing them." - South Bend Tribune

rSr/2024